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Do you get embarassed?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/28/2008 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
Do you get embarassed when collecting your rectal meds. I do, and dread having to go for them. 

I usually take a big black bag to put them in so nobody sees but had an incident when I went to pick them up once and the shop assistant got them. (Why do they have to have 'enema' in huge big black letters on them). I had the black bag on the floor and said I have this here for them but she insisted on putting them on the counter top for the 5 or so people in line behind me to see. She then proceeded to check my details, whilst I was dying of embarassment. I couldn't believe it, I justified it to myself that she was quite small, quite fat and not very pretty and she felt that she was getting one over on me, lol.

Since then I just dread having to go and get them and I have to do it tomorrow aaarrgh.

I try to tell myself that nobody thinks twice about taking inhalers etc for asthma and it's just the same thing although our illness just happens in our butt!!!! Doens't make me feel any better tho. Ok rant over.

Posted 8/28/2008 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
I did at first, but I also know a few pharmacy techs - after talking to them, most of them are really discreet and know that they are helping people that are in a bad sort. After some of these discussions, I now feel fine when I go and get them. And I ussually see the same pretty young women at my local pharmacy when I go in - that alone used to embarrass the hell out of me. But they smile and are helpful and I go on my way.
Posted 8/28/2008 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
My husband who has IBS had a bad experience once. He was prescribed an anti-naseua med. Unbenknownst to him it was a suppository. We are in line at the pharmacy and there are people behind us. We say his name and the pharmacist walks over to a fridge a ways over. Yells back to him, you know you need to keep these suppositories cold right? Have you ever used them before?? I can't remember what he did. He either refused to buy them and said "I was supposed to be getting a pill." Or bought them and never used them. He was so mortified but I (having crohns) just thought it was hysterical.
Posted 8/28/2008 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
mine are always in a bag already when I get them, with the paperwork stapled to the bag. I just received my first mail order for them yesterday. They are cheaper to get by mail if your insurance offers you that option.
Posted 8/28/2008 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
Mine are always packaged as well...so I've never experienced having them not already in a bag, labelled and tagged for me to pay.

I do, however, get a kick out of the question..."Do you have any questions about the prescription?" I've answered "No, do you?..considering how many years I've been using it." LOL.

q
Posted 8/28/2008 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
Yup - but then I got over it. There are many people with butt problems. I'm more embarrased buying treatment for yeast infections - which a lot of people have.

At first I didn't like when they used the plastic grocery bags for them - you can see right through those!!! I would pick up paper bags and take them back to the pharmacy. Now I just take back my reuseable grocery bags and put that on the counter when I ask for my rx. The mail order was nice too - one giant box for several months... Although there are issues on where to store them now that I don't have a gigantic closet off of the master bath...

Just breathe and know you'll be leaving soon!
Posted 8/28/2008 6:26 PM (GMT 0)
Oh boy.... when I go in for my meds its a hoot.... we go through the pills etc for the bum, AND pills for herpes. yeesh! I used to get super embarassed, especially when they would say the names of the medications loudly or talk about "inserting" things carefully etc. LOL. Now I just figure its another persons problem if they want to listen in to my conversation and judge it. =)
Posted 8/28/2008 6:54 PM (GMT 0)
Yes I do get embarrassed, but I think it's because I feel I shouldn't be using them at my age. Dumb I know, but I wish everyone knew what it was like to have this disease....most people don't even know what it is. For example, my mother-in-law got mad at me for not going on a trip with the whole family because of my flare-up. She told my wife I was using it as a pretext to get out of spending time with her (mother-in-law). My wife defended me vehemently.

Posted 8/28/2008 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
nope I figure there is probably worse things I could be getting. ok so it is about my butt, everybody has one. everybody has
d are constipated in there lifetimes. ours is just a whole lot more often then anyone else. Its not like we did anything to get this darn D. So I figure if someone wants to listen in on how to use a suppository, then they can go for it.
Posted 8/28/2008 7:41 PM (GMT 0)
The way I look at it, we have all had a four-foot hose with a camera on it stuck into our butts. From that day forth, there is no reason for us to ever be embarrassed about anything, ever. smilewinkgrin
Posted 8/28/2008 7:56 PM (GMT 0)

I really don't care anymore...

the person behind the counter can say, "hey NBT is this yours!!!" and I'll say, "Yeah is that the generic brand?!!!!!!" and if someone stares at me...I'll stare right back at them until one of us blushes tongue

NBT

Posted 8/28/2008 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
No i don't i go to a little chemist not far from where i live and he orders them for me I  don't care if other people are there i need them and thats all that matters to me. But can understand if you do just think they are doing you good you wouldn't be the same with any other meds its just where they go that makes you feel like that. yeah
Posted 8/28/2008 8:44 PM (GMT 0)
At first I did especially when they would bring out this huge brown bag and heaven forbid if I had any questions for the pharmacist and people were behind me! But now, I really don't care that much anymore. I go to CVS and they know me (and Gma) pretty well so they have it already in a bag and on the counter ready for me when they see me coming.
Posted 8/28/2008 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
After a few "accidents" i really don't get embarrased by anthing anymore. I think when i was first dx'd I was embarrassed but quickly learned that one need not be ashamed of things that are there to help. Easier said than done I know.
Posted 8/28/2008 11:57 PM (GMT 0)
I'm a high school teacher. I called my GI at the beginning of my last flare. The office called back and said that they were calling in a new prescription for me. So I go up to the pharmacy to pick up what I think is a bottle of pills. I pull up to the window and am surprised to find a former student is now working at the pharmacy. I then get a bigger surprise when this former student hands me a big giant enema box. After that, I don't get embarrassed.
Posted 8/29/2008 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
Well, I was certainly a little surprised when I went to pick up my enemas for the first time and she brought this giant bag with four big boxes that said "RECTAL SUSPENSION ENEMAS" on the side. Yeah... Lucky for me, my name is Edith, and people always seem to assume I'm picking stuff up for my mom or grandma because, how many 23 year olds are named Edith? And the pharmacist will say stuff like "Are these the only meds for her?" haha.

The most embarrassing pharmacy experience I had though was once when I had to get a colonoscopy, I was at Walgreens picking up Fleet enemas, phosphosoda, gatorade, wet wipes, butt cream, and popsicles.
I went to the pharmacy to check out because I also had to pick up my meds, so I'm standing at the counter and who walks up? A guy that sat behind me in the Anatomy lecture class I was taking at the time. He was like "Hey, how's it going?" and I just slid the stuff across the counter, probably bright red and just said "Oh, it's going GREAT." Hahaha. Definitely didn't want to go to class that week after that.
Posted 8/29/2008 2:20 AM (GMT 0)
I did right when I was diagnosed. I was 16 so at that age EVERYTHING is mortifying! Actually I remember the first time I got suppositories the box had a blue sticker on it that had a picture of a butt and said "for rectal use only" I thought well I'm not gonna put it in my ear! I ended up pining it on my bulletin board and every time I see it I get a little chuckle.
After a while though I got to know the pharmacists (one who I talked to about coach purses all day long!) and now they have my stuff ready when they see me walkin' down the aisle :)
Posted 8/29/2008 2:43 AM (GMT 0)
I went to a new drugstore and the pharmacist asked me if I had gotten that Rx before, and when I said no, she started to go through telling me how to use a suppository. She was irritated with me because I didn't want to move around the counter to their private consult area to collect my Rx, but just wanted to pay for my purchases and go. Fortunately there was only one other person within earshot, but I cut her off with a gave her a quick reprimand. I won't go back there again.
Mail order is the best, apologies to the small town pharmicists. And I store the enema boxes under my bed.
Posted 8/29/2008 10:00 AM (GMT 0)

Don't be embarassed to pick up medication that you need to be well.  Keep a good sense of humor and you will be ok.  I decided not to be embarassed after I had a pharmacist show me how to use Proctofoam.  I have IBD and was having a terrible time with those great old "hemmies" and this is what my doctor prescribed.  The pharmacist proceded to take everything out of the box, hold it all up and show me exactly how to use it (not physically in the store) but described it nice and loud so the 2 people behind me were snickering.  They would not have been snickering if they had to use that stuff.  Anyone not know what it is?  Look it up, I tried and could not use it.  But it was embarassing......not anymore...I know I need the meds and who cares who hears or sees what I am getting.  Keep yer chin up!  Smile and say thanks!

tongue
Posted 8/29/2008 6:26 PM (GMT 0)

at first i felt a bit embarrassed when i started using especially the suppositories and when i had to collect it together with the ky-jelly.

after a while i started adjusting.  at the moment i really don't care who sees me collecting the suppositories and ky-jelly.  i am so blessed to have a kind pharmacist lady that i always prefer orderring my meds from.

i did have a very embarrassing situation at the counter though last month, when the lady behind the counter made a remark in saying: oh these are expensive, it's a good thing you've got medical aid....what are they for?"  i just said it's for my colon and then changed the subject....some people...

anyway, that's the only real embarrassing experience i have had....other than that i am fine with collecting my meds.

Posted 8/29/2008 9:27 PM (GMT 0)

LOL Never thought about being embarrassed about it.  darn it.  Now next time I go to the pharmacy I'm going to be very self conscious.  Thanks.

I've found that when I go to pick up any of my prescriptions most people are more concerned about cursing out the pharmacist over  their health insurance problems, or how long it should take to fill a stinking little bottle, or why the elderly lady with the walker in obvious discomfort is being taken before them because darn it they were there first (I've seen all of these in the last month) to care about what I'm leaving with.  My boxes on the counter just mean they're 10 seconds closer to getting their stuff and leaving.

 

Posted 8/30/2008 3:31 PM (GMT 0)
It's hard to be embarrassed anymore after having my very first test right there in the doctor's office. I didn't know what she was so worried about and when she put on a latex glove and asked me to roll on my side. Oh boy. Then there was the barium enema test. There's nothing more horrible than that. All my prescriptions are in a white bag and are stapled. The US has the privacy act in place now so they're not allowed to do anything to compromise my privacy. I used to go to Sam's Club to pick up my prescription. When you leave someone at the door must check your receipt to be sure you paid for everything. I went to hand him my RX bag with receipt stapled to it and he jerked back telling me that he couldn't even look at it due to the privacy act.

This just reminded me of an episode of Family Guy. Peter had prescribed suppositories, but was taking by mouth. He was questioned why he was taking them by mouth and Peter replies something like "No I'm putting them up by butt...of course I'm swallowing them". eyes
Posted 8/30/2008 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
I am not anymore. In fact, if I am going to pick up enemas or some other rectal med, I usually grab all the other embarassing stuff too, fiber supplements, epsom salts, vasaline, might as well get it all done at once.
Posted 8/30/2008 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
I used to get embarassed at first, but don't anymore. I go to a local, independent pharmacy and there are hardly ever other customers waiting in line behind me when I go...even if they are, the pharmacy hands me the meds in a bag, so the other people have no idea what I'm getting. Plus, my pharmacist knows me by name and I feel comfortable with him. If people are going to judge me over getting rectal meds, I don't want to waste energy caring about what they think...they would definitely not be worth the wasted time/energy.
Posted 8/30/2008 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Does anyone remember the scene from Philadelphia when a very sick Tom Hanks is asked by a librarian "Wouldn't you feel more comfortable in a research room" to which he replies:

"No. But would it make you more comfortable?"

Dealing with illness is about how we perceive ourselves. It really isn't about how we think others perceive us.

The only person that can make you feel embarressed or uncomfortable is yourself. The more comfortable you become with UC and with the medication prescribed the more comfortable you'll be talking about it with others.
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